Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies remove carbon from fuel combustion emissions or other sources and store it to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

Most approaches to CCS are still in the research and development stage. In this example, coal is burned to produce electricity, giving off CO₂ during combustion.

The CO₂ is trapped by a solvent before it can exit the smokestack with the other waste gases.

The solvent with its load of CO₂ then goes to the stripper column, which uses heat to separate the CO₂ from the solvent. Some of the captured CO₂ is used for industrial purposes (carbonated beverages, chemical industry).

The rest of the captured CO₂ is injected deep underground into unminable coal seams, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, or deep salt formations.